$52m farm funding announced

THE Coalition Government has announced $52 million in Rural Research and Development Projects to boost farmgate profitability and lift the international competitiveness of our agricultural industries.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Barnaby Joyce said the Coalition is helping ensure our farmers have access to cutting-edge research, technology, products and processes so they remain world-class.

"The Coalition strongly supports our agricultural industries system of funding research and development and is committed to retaining Commonwealth matching funding.

"The Coalition came to office with a commitment to turbo-charge the research and development effort with an additional $100 million invested in a Rural R&D for Profit programme.

"More than $78 million in Rural R&D for Profit programme initiatives have been funded so far, with the Coalition investing a further $100 million as part of the $4 billion Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper to extend the programme to 2021-22.

Projects funded under round two include:

$711,668 for Australian Pork Limited to develop and implement enhanced carcase reporting to secure animal health status for pork, beef and sheep meat;

$2.6 million for Dairy Australia to evaluate on-farm applications for virtual fencing technology

$1.466 million for the use of protective strategies such as sprays in vineyards to protect wine grapes from smoke taint from bushfires or fuel reduction burns

$1.65 million to Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited to establish a new national Mediterranean Fruit Fly facility at Murdoch University and develop pest treatment processes

$1.4 million to Cotton Research and Development Corporation to design a big data solution to build confidence in decision agriculture

$5.87 million for Meat and Livestock Australia to boost emergency animal disease response capacity in the livestock industries

$3.46 million to Meat and Livestock Australia to reduce use of phosphorus fertilisers in pasture grazing systems

$5 million for Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited to develop advanced production systems for almond and walnut producers

$3.55 million for Sugar Research Australia to research adoption of technology including sensors and harvester telemetry systems to improve harvesting efficiency and minimise losses.

"The Coalition's Rural R&D for Profit investment is on top of $700 million the Government already invests in rural research and development each year."

"Unfortunately, Labor is putting investment in agricultural research and development at risk with its failure to commit to retaining the R&D for Profit programme and Labor's policy to review R&D funding if it is elected.

"When Labor was last in office it had the Productivity Commission review agricultural R&D and that report recommended Labor cut Commonwealth matching funds by 50 per cent," Mr Joyce said.

Funding for these projects has been provided for from within existing budget resources.